The Riddle of Steel

An all-action issue can be harder to pull off than it looks. If you don’t lean into it enough, it can come across as stale or repetitive. If you take things too far, you can end up with something endlessly escalating like Dragon Ball Z.

I’m happy to report that Conan the Barbarian #31 hits the mark, delivering a thrilling ballet of blood and violence.

The assassin known as the Son of the Tooth has cornered his prey, Conan the Cimmerian, and the two have locked blades. The trade city of Khoraja becomes their battleground and—to Conan’s horror—its people become collateral damage that increases the Son’s power with each new kill!

Soon the streets run red with blood. It will take all of Conan’s wits, and his legendary fortitude, to survive this battle…

Conan the Hunted

Throughout his life, Conan has been many things. Barbarian. Soldier. Vagabond. Thief. Eventually, King.

Very seldom is he prey.

This issue delivers on the promise shown by the Son of the Tooth’s origins, giving us a relentless, capable hunter that challenges Conan like few others have. It’s not very often that we see him spend so much of a fight on the back foot. It’s even less often that we see him so grievously wounded.

Of course, we know that the Cimmerian will not meet his end here—there are many more adventures still to come before his story ends. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still fear for him when faced with the overwhelming presence of a foe like the Son.

Even when faced with an unnerving enemy who takes new strength from those he kills, Conan still has his keen blade and even keener wits. If the two just locked swords the whole time, this would not be a very thrilling issue. Thankfully, despite his rough exterior, the Cimmerian is no dull brute. Everything can be used as a tool or a weapon, even a boiling pot of stew.

Every conflict must eventually end. More than just physical prowess must determine the victor. There is a classic proverb that warns “he who hesitates is lost.” Both combatants prove this warning correct before their battle draws to a close—fatally so, in the case of the Son of the Tooth. But for a being powered by spirits, does the death of his physical form truly end his existence? Or just alter it?

I suspect this will not be the last time Conan stands before this particular foe. For the barbarian’s sake, given the state he’s in following this battle, I hope their next meeting isn’t for some time.

Spirits of the Slain

After a brief hiatus, the deadly duo of Jim Zub and Doug Braithwaite has returned to chronicle Conan’s exploits. Jim Zub has established himself as one of the strongest voices since Robert E. Howard himself, and this issue is another example of why. His take on the titular barbarian is crafty and powerful, and the Son of the Tooth is every bit his equal here. His narration is lyrical, not overwritten, and it never overwhelms the events unfolding on the page.

Doug Braithwaite has more than made his mark on the character, having illustrated numerous tales by this point. His style is darker and dirtier, which works perfectly for the grim situations Zub’s Conan finds himself in. An issue like this lives or dies on its staging and choreography, and thankfully his is exemplary. You can feel the brutality of each stab, strike, and kill. There is no shortage of blood spilled as the artwork puts these two men through hell.

They say blood is life, and thanks to the colors of Diego Rodriguez, it practically leaps off the page. With so much crimson present, there's a risk it might drown out everything else. Thankfully, Rodriguez avoids the trap. The black of the shadows, the glow of a roaring fire, the ghostly blue of the spirits—all are expertly rendered, maximizing the impact of the carnage.

He Who Hesitates

Conan the Barbarian #31 delivers brutal combat against an implacable foe, as the unnerving Son of the Tooth tests the Cimmerian in a way that few others have. You won’t find any deeper meanings or insights here, but you will find two creators at the top of their game delivering pure, bloody spectacle. And sometimes that’s enough.